Preparatory work to begin this fall for expansion of Port of Montreal at Contrecœur

MONTREAL — The Montreal Port Authority says it intends to begin preparatory work this fall on its planned expansion in the nearby town of Contrecœur, Que.

The project still requires authorization from Fisheries and Oceans Canada because it would be built in the habitat of the endangered copper redhorse fish.

Prime Minister Mark Carney included the port expansion in his government’s list of five nation-building projects to be fast-tracked under new legislation.

The port wants to increase its capacity by expanding the Contrecœur terminal to eventually handle an estimated 1.5 million containers annually.

Port authorities say the preparatory work would begin in the coming weeks and includes installing fences and access roads, constructing work platforms, selective tree cutting, and outfitting offices.

The preparatory work also involves dredging the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, habitat of the copper redhorse, found only in a limited section of the St. Lawrence River and a few tributaries, such as the Richelieu River,.

A plan to mitigate the expansion’s effect on the redhorse habitat requires approval from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and port authorities are hopeful it could come by the end of November.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2025.

The Canadian Press